Colossians 3:25

Col_3:25

He that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done.

I. Punishment threatened.

1. To masters.

(1) Imperious masters wrong their servants.

(a) By defrauding them of their clothing, food, or wages.

(b) By imposing labours beyond their strength.

(c) By afflicting them with reproaches and unjust stripes, for all of which see Exo_5:1-23.

(2) For these wrongs servants are not to rise against their masters in anger, nor leave their tasks through idleness: God will see due punishment done as He did to the Egyptian oppressors.

2. To servants.

(1) Contumacious servants wrong their masters as far as they do not pay them due obedience and reverence; and deceitful and slothful servants because they do not yield due submission, or do so without sincerity.

(2) These shall be punished for their dishonesty by God the Avenger and Judge (2Ki_5:1-27.).

3. Instructions to both.

(1) In all sin it is determined by God that punishment shall be inflicted. What, then, can it profit to have avoided the avenging hand of men, and to fall into the hands of the living God?

(2) Earthly masters, however powerful, cannot with impunity trample on their dependants, for they are subject to God, and must render an account before His tribunal.

(3) Those who are wronged must not revenge, but leave that to God.

II. An objection anticipated.

1. Masters might object, Who shall call us to account? Slaves were accounted as nothing. According to the lawyers no wrong could be done to them. But in case of arraignment, by power and bribery it was easy to secure acquittal. The apostle affirmed that in the final court there was a judge who recognized the rights of slaves and who was not to be terrified by power, nor turned aside by favour or bribes (Job_34:19).

2. Servants might object, If we neglect the duties of our wretched bondage surely the merciful God will not punish us. Paul denies that God can favour the poor more than the rich (Exo_23:3; Lev_19:15).

3. Instructions.

(1) Not only the wrongs done to the great, but those to the small have God alike for their avenger.

(2) It behoves those who act for God on earth to imitate this Divine justice. A judge should be a sanctuary for all impartially. (Bishop Davenant.)

Retribution in this life

Herod the Great, the slayer of the innocents, and first persecutor of Christianity, was overwhelmed with agonizing physical disease; and his numerous family was extinct in a hundred years. Pilate, who condemned Christ, was soon after expelled from office and committed suicide. Nero, after slaying thousands of Christians, attempted to take his own life; but failing through cowardice, called others to his aid. The persecutor Domitian was murdered by his own people. So it was with Caius, Severus, and Heliogabalus. Scarcely one of the prominent persecutors of the Church escaped signal retribution. Claudius was eaten of worms. Decius, Gallus, Aurelian, Maximin all died violent deaths. Maximinius put out the eyes of thousands of subjects, and himself died of a fearful disease of the eyes. Valens, who caused fourscore presbyters to be sent to sea in a ship and burnt alive, was himself defeated by the Goths, fled to a cottage which was fired, and he perished in the flames. (E. Foster.)

The certainty of future retribution

As you stood some stormy day upon a sea cliff, and marked the giant billow rise from the deep to rush on with foaming crest, and throw itself thundering on the trembling shore, did you ever fancy that you could stay its course, and hurl it back into the depths of the ocean? Did you ever stand beneath the leaden, lowering cloud, and mark the lightnings leap as it shot and flashed, dazzling athwart the gloom, and think that you could grasp the bolt, and change its path? Still more vain and foolish his thought, who fancies that he can arrest or turn aside the purpose of God. (T. Guthrie, D. D.)

The Divine justice

Justice in general is the giving every one their due. In God it is that attribute whereby He disposeth all things according to the rule of equity (Deu_32:4; Psa_11:5), and rendereth to every man according to his works without respect of persons (Psa_62:12; Job_34:11; Job_34:19; Son_6:6-7). God is positively or affirmatively just (Zep_3:5); He is eminently the Just One (Act_7:52); He is superlatively most just (Job_34:17). Wilt thou condemn Him who is most just? or, as some read it, justice--justice without the least tincture, mixture, or shadow of injustice. He giveth to all their due, without fear of evil. He standeth in awe of none for their power or greatness. His day of vengeance is against the cedars of Lebanon and the oaks of Bashan, and all the high mountains (Isa_2:13-14), without hope of gain. Men are unjust for bribes (Hos_4:14); but riches prevail not in the day of His wrath (Pro_11:4; Eze_7:19). He is no taker of gifts (2Ch_19:7), and without respect to any in their honours or outward excellencies (Jer_22:24). He will not pluck the signet from His hand in the day of His justice. Israel were a people near to Him (Deu_4:7; Psa_148:14), yet He doth not spare them when they rebel against Him (Psa_74:1-3; Psa_44:10-14; Jer_7:12). Adam and the angels were great and excellent beings, yet when they sinned He made them suffer. He accepteth not the persons of princes nor regardeth the rich more than the poor (Job_34:19). Men may do justly, God must do justly. (G. Swinnock.)

.

Wrongdoing returns upon the sinner

Do you remember that poem of Southeys about Sir Ralph the Rover? On the east of Scotland, near Arbroath, in the old days, a good man had placed a float with a bell attached on the dangerous Inchcape Rock, so that the mariners hearing it might keep away. This Sir Ralph the Rover, in a moment of devilry, cut away both float and bell. It was a cruel thing to do. Years passed. Sir Ralph roamed over many parts of the world. In the end he returned to Scotland. As he neared the coast a storm arose. Where was he? Where was the ship drifting? Oh that he knew where he was! Oh that he could hear the bell on the Inchcape Rock! But years ago, in his sinful folly, he, with his own hands, had cut it away. Hark! to that grating sound heard amid the storm, felt amid the breakers; the ship is struck; the rock penetrates her, she goes to pieces, and with curses of rage and despair, the sinners sin has found him out; he sinks to rise no more until the great day of judgment. (G. Litting, LL. B.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Col 3:25. Ἀδικῶν, he that doeth wrong) In actual deed and from the heart.—οὐκ ἔστι προσωποληψία, there is no respect of persons) Men of low rank and poor circumstances often think that they should be spared on account of their humble condition. That is denied.

—————

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Col_3:25. Ground of encouragement (γάρ, see the critical remarks) to fulfil the precept τῷ κυρ. Χ. δουλεύετε: for he who does wrong shall carry off (the penal recompense of) what wrong he has done,a locus communis, of which the slaves were to make the application, that the unjust treatment which they experienced from their masters would not go unpunished; hence they could not but feel themselves the more encouraged to be in their relation of servitude slaves of no other than Christ, and to permit no unjust treatment to make them deviate from that principle. Paul therefore adds for their further encouragement:[166] καὶ οὐκ ἔστι προσωποληψία, and there is no partiality, of which likewise general proposition the intended application is, that in that requital the impartial Judge (Christ, comp. Col_3:24) will not favour the masters, and will not injure the slaves, comp. Eph_6:9. The correct view is held substantially by Theodoret, Beza, Calvin, Estius, Zachariae, Ewald, and others. Others have understood ὁ ἀδικῶν as referring to the slave who violates his duty, in which case ἀδικεῖν is taken either in the strict sense of the trespass of him who intentionally injures his master (Hofmann, comp. Phm_1:18), or loosely and generally in the sense of doing wrong, comp. Rev_22:11 (Chrysostom, Theophylact, Bengel, Heinrichs, Storr, Flatt, Steiger, and others). But against this view the κ. οὐκ ἔστι προσωπολ. may be decisively urged, which assumes that the subject to be punished is higher, of superior rank; for the idea which has been imported into the passage is purely fanciful: Tenues saepe putant, sibi propter tenuitatem ipsorum esse parcendum; id negatur, Bengel, in connection with which Theophylact appeals to Lev_19:15. And if on account of οὐκ ἔστι προσωπολ. the unjust masters must be taken as meant by ὁ αδικῶν in the application of the sentence, the reference to both parties, to the masters and the slaves (Erasmus, Grotius, and others, including Bähr, Huther, Baumgarten-Crusius, and Bleek, following Jerome and Pelagius), is thereby excluded, since προσωπολ. is appropriate only to the masters.

κομίσεται] shall carry off for himself (sibi), refers to the Messianic judgment, and ἠδίκησε to that which he, who is now ἀδικῶν (present), has (shall have) then done. On the expression κομίζεσθαι κ.τ.λ., used to express the idea of a recompense equivalent to the deed in respect of its guilt, comp. Eph_6:8, and on 2Co_5:10.

Respecting προσωποληψία, see on Gal_2:6.

[166] Hofmann finds it incredible that Paul should have closed the section referring to the slaves with a proposition couched in such general terms as ver. 25, which applies not to the slaves, but to the masters. This, however, is an erroneous view. For in vv. 2224 the apostle has instructed the slaves regarding their active bearing in service, and he is now, in the general proposition of ver. 25, suggesting for their reflection and deliberate consideration the proper soothing and elevating point of view regarding their passive bearing in service also. Thus ver. 25 also applies to the slaves, and forms merely the transition to the precept for the masters in Col_4:1. This applies also in opposition to the doubts expressed by Holtzmann, p. 44 f.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Col 3:25 . This verse provides the reason ( γὰρ ) for δουλεύετε . It is disputed whether ὁ ἀδ . means the master who treats his slave unjustly, or the slave who by his idleness wrongs his master. To include both (Lightf., Findl., Ol.) is highly questionable, not only because a double reference is on principle to be avoided in exegesis, but because the connexion with δουλ . implies that one side of the relation only is being dealt with. It is commonly thought that the verse is an encouragement to the slave, based on the assurance that the master who ill treats him will receive his recompense in due course. In favour of this οὐκ ἔστιν προσωπ . is urged, since it implies that they are in a social position which might influence earthly courts, but cannot mitigate the judgment of God. But while a Christian writer could dissuade from vengeance by the thought that vengeance belonged to God alone, it is not credible that Paul should console the slave or encourage him in his duty by the thought that for every wrong he received his master would have to suffer. And, as Haupt says, we should have expected ὑμᾶς after ἀδικῶν and δὲ instead of γὰρ . There is also a presumption in favour of an exhortation to the slave here. If it referred to the masters it would have come more naturally after Col 4:1 . Nor does προσωπ . necessarily imply that the wrongdoer is socially more highly placed. It equally well applies to favouritism that might be expected from God on the ground of religious position. So we should interpret the verse (with Weiss and Haupt) as a warning to the Christian slave not to presume on his Christianity, so as to think that God will overlook his misdeeds or idleness.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

25. ὁ γὰρ ἀδικῶν κομίσεται δ ἠδίκησεν. Does St Paul here desire (1) to encourage the slaves by reminding them that if they are illtreated their masters will be punished in due course by God, or (2) to warn them that even if a slave does wrong his ill action will not be overlooked by God, or (3) to definitely include both objects?

Of these (2) alone seems to carry on the thought of the preceding verses; for St Paul has bid them obey their masters according to the flesh, and that with simplicity of aim and willingness of purpose, with an eye all the time to the great Master, who will reward, and (Col 3:25) will punish. In this ease ἀδικῶν, ἠδίκησε = wrong doing, i.e. towards the master (cf. Phm 1:18, εἰ δέ τι ἠδίκησέν σε), though the object is not expressed. The participle is hardly absolute as in Rev 22:11. It is quite possible that St Paul’s words in Phm. suggested to him this phrase in what was almost the covering letter.

κομίσεται. “κομίζομαι often in all Greek and always in the N.T. means not simply to receive but to receive back, to get what has belonged to oneself but has been lost, or else promised but kept back, to get what has come to be one’s own by earning” (Hort on 1Pe 1:9). Cf. 2Co 5:10. Also || Eph 6:8. For the thought of Col 3:25 a we might compare 2Pe 2:12-13 if we could be sure of the text either in the T.R. or W.H., ἐν τῇ φθορᾷ αὐτῶν καί φθαρήσονται, ἀδικούμενοι (κομιούμενοι T.R.) μισθὸν ἀδικίας, but see Bigg there.

ὅ ἠδίκησεν. Aorist as looking back from time of κομίσεται.

καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν προσωπολημψία, “and there is no respect of persons.” He thus clinches his argument as to the need of the most conscientious obedience. But who are they of whom he is thinking? Primarily, as it seems, the various classes and individuals among the slaves. For slaves throughout the Roman Empire and perhaps especially in the East were not like the negro slaves of America in a uniformly low position, but were of all kinds, holding some high, some low, places in the household. And, again, some were heathen, some Christian. It is quite intelligible that some might presume on their earthly position, others on their spiritual privileges, and serve with less thoroughness. He warns them against doing so.

But having said οὐκ ἔστιν προσωπολημψία the phrase itself reminds him of its applicability to masters also. He therefore naturally passes on to Col 4:1. In his later epistle to the “Ephesians” he arranges his material rather differently, and after stating that good actions shall be repaid to each, whether δοῦλος or ἐλεύθερος (not κύριος), warns the masters to treat their slaves properly, knowing that the Master of both parties is in heaven, and is absolutely impartial (Eph 6:8-9).

On the word προσωπολημψία see especially Mayor’s note on Jas 2:1, who says “in its strict sense the Greek would mean to accept the outside surface for the inner reality, the mask for the person,” thus giving a secondary meaning to the word πρόσωπον. Hence perhaps it is that the compound has always a bad sense in the N.T. (it does not occur as a compound in the LXX.), but it is a fair literal translation of the Hebrew מַשּׂא פָנִים, strictly “lifting up” or “accepting the face,” which itself has a bad sense in 2Ch 19:7†, as has also the verbal phrase in Job 32:21; Deu 10:17, al. Probably in the first instance the reference was to permitting a prostrate suppliant to literally lift up his face. The permission in an individual case would often seem arbitrary, and in many cases would be due in fact to other reasons than pure justice. Compare Mal 2:9, ἀνθʼ ὧν ὑμεῖς οὐ φυλάσσεσθε τὰς ὁδούς μου ἀλλὰ ἐλαμβάνετε πρόσωπα ἐν νόμῳ.

Before leaving this verse it is perhaps worth calling attention to the possibility that Col 3:24-25 contain reminiscences of Sirach 32(35):13–16: ὅτι Κύριος ἀνταποδιδούς ἐστιν, καὶ ἑπταπλᾶ ἀνταποδώσει σοι. (14) μὴ δωροκόπει, οὐ γὰρ προσδέξεται. (15) καὶ μὴ ἕπεχε θυσίᾳ. ἀδίκῳ ὅτι Κύριος κριτής ἐστιν, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν παρʼ αὐτοῦ δόξα προσώπου. (16) οὐ λήμψεται πρόσωπον ἐπὶ πτωχοῦ, καὶ δέησιν ἠδικημένου εἰσακούσεται. The Greek is a sufficiently close translation of the Hebrew.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He requireth of masters that being mindful how that they themselves also shall render an account before that heavenly Lord and Master, which will revenge wrongful doings without any respect of masters or servants, they show themselves just and upright with equity, unto their servants.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

But--The oldest manuscripts read, "for," which accords with "serve ye," &c. (Col 3:24), the oldest reading: the for here gives a motive for obeying the precept. He addresses the slaves: Serve ye the Lord Christ, and leave your wrongs in His hands to put to rights: (translate), "For he that doeth wrong shall receive back the wrong which he hath done (by just retribution in kind), and there is no respect of persons" with the Great Judge in the day of the Lord. He favors the master no more than the slave (Rev 6:15).

Next: Colossians Chapter 4

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 25. But he that doeth wrong] It is possible for an unfaithful servant to wrong and defraud his master in a great variety of ways without being detected; but let all such remember what is here said: He that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he has done; God sees him, and will punish him for his breach of honesty and trust. Wasting, or not taking proper care of the goods of your master, is such a wrong as God will resent. He that is unfaithful in that which is little, will be unfaithful in much, if he have opportunity; and God alone is the defence against an unfaithful servant.

There is no respect] God neither esteems nor despises any man because of his outward condition and circumstances; for there is no respect of persons with him. Every man is, in the eye of God, what he is in his soul: if holy, loved; if wicked, despised and rejected.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(25) He that doeth wrong is clearly here the master (see Eph_6:9), though, of course, the phrase cannot be limited to him.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

25. But he that doeth wrong] The spiritual emancipation of the slave writes the law of duty on his heart.—The case of Onesimus was surely in the Apostle’s mind throughout this passage.

shall receive] from the Divine Master and Judge; the next words, with their parallel in Ephesians, fix the reference. The Gospel, the great charter of liberty for man, always refuses him licence, even where he is the victim of oppression. See Introd. to the Ep. to Philemon, p. 158.

no respect of persons] “with the Master who is in heaven” (Eph_6:9).—See Exo_23:3; Exo_23:6, for a striking example of Scriptural equity: “thou shalt not countenance a poor man in his cause”; “thou shall not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause.” Here and in Eph_6:9 we have identically the same principle, the impartiality of God, applied alike to the conscience of the slave and to the conscience of his owner.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But he that doth wrong,.... Which may be understood, both of servants that do wrong to their masters through sloth and idleness, neglecting their business, embezzling their masters' goods, and defrauding them of their substance; and of masters that injure their servants by withholding from them proper food, and raiment; by cheating them of their wages, either giving them none at all, or too little, or detaining them too long, and by giving them bad language, and hard blows, and such like severe usage:

shall receive for the wrong which he hath done; either in this world, or in the other; God will avenge all such injuries, sooner or later; so that these words may be considered either as said with a view to deter servants from evil practices, or to comfort them under the maltreatment they may meet with from cruel masters:

and there is no respect of persons. The Vulgate Latin and Arabic Versions add, "with God"; which undoubtedly is the sense; he regards not the rich more than the poor; he makes no difference between bond and free, the servant and the master; he will not take the part of the one, because he is a master, nor neglect, the other, because he is a servant, but will do that which is just and right with regard to them both; See Gill on Eph 6:9.

Next: Colossians Chapter 4

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

Ver. 25. But he that doth wrong] Be it but by not doing right to poor servants, which in those days were bondslaves. Note here, saith an interpreter, the apostle’s candour; he was not of the humour of lawyers, that seldom speak much but for great men, or when they may have great gifts.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But he that doeth wrong; but if the reward will not engage to a right discharge of these relative duties, the injurious person,

whether he be bond or free, Eph 6:8, an inferior servant or a domineering master, who doth violate the rules of right, agreeing with the law natural and eternal,

shall receive for the wrong which he hath done; shall have the just recompence of that injury, whereby he wrongs his correlate; the penalty apportioned to his fault, Rom 2:6; 2Co 5:10; 2Pe 2:13.

And there is no respect of persons; from the impartiality of Divine justice, there is no respect of persons with God, Rom 2:11, or with Christ, in the place parallel to this, Eph 6:9, who is so righteous a Judge that he is not swayed by the outward circumstances and qualifications of men, whether potent or poor, Lev 19:15; Job 34:19; he seeth not as man seeth, he looketh not on the outward appearance, but on the heart, 1Sa 16:7; in the distribution of justice, he will put no difference between the mightiest monarch and the most enslaved peasant; the purloining servant, and oppressing master shall certainly receive answerable to their doings from his impartial hand: the mean one who is at present abused without relief, and the great one who doth tyrannize without control, shall one day have right, and be reckoned with by the righteous Judge, 2Ti 4:8, who will show to all the world that he will honour those that honour him, and lightly esteem those that despise him, 1Sa 2:30, and that he is the avenger of all those that are wronged, 1Th 4:6; 2Th 1:6.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

For he that doeth wrong shall receive again that he did wrong; and there is no respect of persons (Eph_6:8, Eph_6:9; Php_1:28; 2Th_1:5-7; 1Pe_1:17; Rom_2:11; Gal_2:6) "For" is replaced by "but" in the same inferior copies which insert it in the last sentence. Here we have the ether side of the recompense promised in ver. 24 a, to which the explanatory "for" points back. The impartial justice which avenges every wrong guarantees the reward of the faithful servant of Christ. So the Old Testament saints rightly argued (Psa_37:9-11 Psa_58:10, 11 64:7-10) that the punishment of the evil doer affords hope to the righteous man. This warning is quite general in its terms, and applies alike to the unfaithful servant and to the unjust master (comp. Eph_6:8) At the judgment seat of Christ there will be no favouritism: all ranks and orders of men will stand on precisely the same footing. (Col_3:11) The word ajdikew, twice employed here, denotes a legal wrong or injury; (1Co_6:7, 1Co_6:8) e.g. the conduct of Onesimus towards Philemon (ver. 18). The verb "receive" (komizomai, carry off, gain; (2Co_5:10; 1Pe_5:4; Mat_25:27) looks more to the receiver, whereas ajpolhmyesqe ajpo (ver. 24) points to the giver. Proswpolhmyia (literally, accepting of the face) is a pure Hebraism, found in St. James twice, and four times in St. Paul.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

That is "Such servants as have wronged their masters, or such masters as have oppressed their servants, God, who respects no man’s person, and regardeth the rich no more than the poor, will take this time to revenge the injuries and wrong, done by either to each other."

Note here, The severity and impartiality of divine justice: God, the righteous judge, will revenge the wrong, every wrong, whensoever, and by whomsoever it is done; he will revenge it impartially, he will revenge it proportionably; a just retribution, according to the wrong done, shall be rendered to everyone by the righteous and just God: He that hath done wrong, shall receive for the wrong which he hath done; and there is no respect of persons.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

25. He that doeth wrong. Whether master or slave. All will be requited, and before Christ, all, master and slave, stand upon the same footing.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

25.] This verse seems best to be taken as addressed to the slaves by way of encouragement to regard Christ as their Master and serve Him—seeing that all their wrongs in this world, if they leave them in His hands, will be in due time righted by Him, the just judge, with whom there is no respect of persons. For he that doeth wrong shall receive (see, as on the whole, Eph 6:8) that which he did wrongfully (the tense is changed because in ἀδικῶν he is speaking of present practice—in ἠδίκησεν, he has transferred the scene to the day of the Lord, and the wrong is one of past time), and there is not respect of persons (= εἴτε δοῦλος εἴτε ἐλεύθερος, Eph 6:8). At His tribunal, every one, without regard to rank or wealth, shall receive the deeds done in the body. So that in your Christian uprightness and conscientiousness you need not fear that you shall be in the end overborne by the superior power of your masters: there is A judge who will defend and right you: ἐστὶ δικαιοκρίτης ὃς οὐκ οἶδε δούλου κ. δεσπότου διαφοράν, ἀλλὰ δικαίαν εἰσφέρει τὴν ψῆφον, Thdrt. Some, as Thl., Beng., al., suppose the verse spoken with reference to the slaves; but οὐκ ἔστιν προσωπολημψία is against this, unless we accept Bengel’s far-fetched explanation of it: “tenues sæpe putant, sibi propter tenuitatem ipsorum esse parcendum.”

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

25. ὁ γὰρ ἀδικῶν κομιεῖται ὃἠδίκησεν,καὶ οὐκ ἔστι προσωποληψία. The first clause is, of course, a general maxim, but the application here chiefly intended appears from the words οὐκ ἔστι προσωποληψία, which presuppose that the person punished is one higher in position. ὁ ἀδικῶν, also, is much more suitable to the master than the slave; and this view is further confirmed by the mention of τὸ δίκαιον in 4:1. Hence ὁ ἀδικῶν in the present case is the master, and the words are designed to encourage the slave to regard himself as the servant of Christ, and as such not to be disheartened by unjust treatment, knowing that before the final tribunal there will be no respect of persons. So Theodoret, κἂν μὴ τύχητε ἀγαθῶν ἀνταποδόσεων παρὰ τοῦ δεσπότου,ἐστὶ δικαιοκριτὴς ὃς οὐκ οἶδε δούλου καὶ δεσπότου διαφοράν, ἀλλὰ δικαίαν εἰσφέρει τὴν ψῆφον. But Chrys., Bengel, and others suppose the ἀδικῶν to be the slave. “Tenues saepe putant, sibi propter tenuitatem ipsorum esse parcendum. Id negatur,” Bengel; cf. Lev 19:15. It must be observed, however, that some of those who adopt this view have had before them the reading ὁ δὲ ἀδικῶν (so Chrys.).

Erasmus, Lightfoot, and many others (following Jerome) suppose both masters and slaves to be referred to, as in Eph 6:8. On the other hand, ib. ver. 9, προσωποληψία οὐκ ἔστι παρʼ αὐτῷ, is said with respect to the masters only.

κομιεῖται. “Shall be requited for”; cf. Eph 6:8, and for προσωποληψία, ib. 9.

ἠδίκησεν. The tense is past, from the point of view of the time referred to in κομιεῖται.

For the reading the authorities are:

For γάρ, א B C D* G 17 al., Old Lat., Vulg., Goth., Boh., Clem. al.

For δέ, Dc K L, most MSS., Syr. (both), Chrys., Theodoret, al.

Boh Bohairic. Cited by Tisch. as “Coptic,” by Tregelles as “Memphitic,” by WH. as “me.”

Arm Armenian.

Eth Ethiopic.

WH Westcott and Hort.

Sah The Sahidic or Thebaic (“the.” WH).

Tisch. Tischendorf.

Treg. Tregelles.

Syr-Pesh The Peshitto Syriac.

Tol Cod. Toletanus.

Harcl The Harclean Syriac.

Fuld. Cod. Fuldensis

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He that doeth wrong [ο αδικων] . Compare Phl 1:18. The reference is primarily to the slave; but the following clause extends it to the master. If the slave do wrong, he shall be punished; but the master who does wrong will not be excused, for there is no respect of persons. Tychicus, who carried this letter to Colossae, carried at the same time the letter to Philemon, and escorted Onesimns to his master.

Shall receive [κομισεται] . See on 1Pe 1:8. Compare Eph 6:8. Respect of persons. See on Jas 2:1. In the Old Testament it has, more commonly, a good sense, of kindly reception, favorable regard. In the New Testament always a bad sense, which came to it through the meaning of mask which attached to proswpon face.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

25. ὁ γὰρ ἀδικῶν κ.τ.λ.] Who is this unrighteous person ? The slave who defrauds his master of his service, or the master who defrauds his slave of his reward? Some interpreters confine it exclusively to the former; others to the latter. It seems best to suppose that both are included. The connexion of the sentence ὁ γὰρ ἀδικῶν (where γάρ, not δέ, is certainly the right reading) points to the slave. On the other hand the expression which follows, τὸ δίκαιον καὶ τὴν ἰσότητα κ.τ.λ., suggests the master. Thus there seems to be a twofold reference; the warning is suggested by the case of the slave, but it is extended to the case of the master; and this accords with the parallel passage, Ephes. vi. 8 ἕκαστος ὃ ἂν ποίησῃ ἀγαθὸν τοῦτο κομίσεται παρὰ Κυρίου, εἴτε δοῦλος εἴτε ἐλεύθερος .

The recent fault of Onesimus would make the Apostle doubly anxious to emphasize the duties of the slave towards the master, lest in his love for the offender he should seem to condone the offence. This same word ἠδίκησεν is used by St Paul to describe the crime of Onesimus in Philem. 18. But on the other hand it is the Apostle’s business to show that justice has a double edge. There must be a reciprocity between the master and the slave. The philosophers of Greece taught, and the laws of Rome assumed, that the slave was a chattel. But a chattel could have no rights. It would be absurd to talk of treating a chattel with justice. St Paul places the relations of the master and the slave in a wholly different light. Justice and equity are the expression of the Divine mind: and with God there is no προσωπολημψία. With Him the claims of the slave are as real as the claims of the master.

κομίσεται] For this sense of the middle, ‘to recover’, ‘to get back’, and so (with an accusative of the thing to be recompensed), ‘to be requited for’, see e.g. Lev. xx. 17 ἁμαρτίαν κομιοῦνται, 2 Cor. v. 10 κομίσηται ἕκαστος τὰ διὰ τοῦ σώματος; comp. Barnab.

J. B. Lightfoot, St Paul's Epistles to the Colossians and Philemon: a revised text with introductions, notes and dissertations (London: Macmillan, 1875) — public domain. Electronic text from Project Gutenberg (ebook #50857). Covers Colossians and Philemon only (the verse-by-verse notes; introductions and dissertations are omitted); Lightfoot's companion Galatians and Philippians volumes are not included, as the available public-domain scans carry garbled Greek that cannot be faithfully reproduced.